He is unpretentious. Sitting comfortable in a rickshaw as we head to Pizza Hut in Pune for lunch, John Abraham shows no ugly sign of supermodeldom. On him, a black vest teams up with torn jeans to send many a pulse racing. I can gather that from the screams I hear when we walk into Pizza Hut. Guess meeting supermodels does that to people, even ones in the middle of a birthday party. And John? He blushes. He's still not comfortable with such attention. Having broken up a party, he joins in lustily to sing Happy Birthday all over again, and poses for umpteen photographs. Picking on his salad for lunch, he has the pretty waitress eating out of his hand. Then John the boyfriend takes over. Like all other men in the world, he talks first about the matter closest to his heart: a certain pretty young thing by the name Riya, who just happens to be actress Moon Moon Sen's daughter. "We had lunch yesterday and Riya's mom really ticked me off about the Society [magazine] cover where we both were featured," he tells me. "It just might hamper her chances in the film world!" Watching him play the romantic lover makes even ol' me a bit starry-eyed. He talks of long walks and longer STD calls to the Bombay-based Riya in the middle of the night. Like a sucker for romances with intriguing beginnings and happier endings, I sit entranced! The man, definitely, is smitten bad. And so is the lady, if you go by the number of phone calls they exchange as we lunch. As he agonises over the right thing to say about his budding relationship, one realises that being drop-dead good-looking can only get you so far. Now he's doing what many a man has done to get his girl -- woo the sister, mother, family, friends and khandaan to court Riya! "Me, Raima [Riya's sis] and Riya are pretty good friends. We go out very often," he says. "When Riya is busy, I am either gymming or tinkering with my bike..." Not only does John do the right things, he also says 'em: "I am taking it one day at a time. I sure hope that the relationship will last!" John refuses to play the possessive boyfriend. He's keeping it all under wraps, me thinks. And for those who keep saying, why can't a woman be more like a man, John is playing it the other way round. "I am the woman in this relationship, for sure... All the romance happens from my end!" Well, I think Milind Soman would agree with John there. Ask the organisers of a theme party at 10, Downing Street. They were more than happy when a smiling Milind walked in unannounced after big-time model Bipasha Basu. As for Bipasha, she was surprised too! And for once, he let his actions do all the talking as he waltzed to slow music on the dance floor. No clichéd statements of "being friends" followed! Milind too, like John, is a heart-stopper. The hushed silence when you walk into a restaurant with him -- *grin* I have done it quite a few times -- is testimony enough. And so are the two little girls who ask him to loan his cheek for a kiss! For Milind talking about women, and wooing them in style, comes easily. He admits to sending roses, chocolates, the works, to the ladies in his life. At last, a man of honesty! Having spoken of John and Milind, I should tell you about Arjun Rampal too. Ask him anything with his wife Mehr Jessia around... you bet she will cross his 't's and dot his 'i's! He makes a devoted husband all right -- picking clothes for Mehr, playing knight in shining armour when she faints at night clubs... So if Mehr confides, "He knows exactly how I like my drink" and he plays bartender all evening, then you are not surprised! Yes, for a change it is the men who are wearing their hearts on their sleeves. Unabashedly. Or is it just that these gorgeous women have brought them to heel? Perfect are such men... Contrary to what she tries to project herein, Nidhi Taparia is a hopeless romantic... with a tender corner for Mills & Boons. Tell us what you think of this diary
HOME | NEWS | CRICKET | MONEY | SPORTS | MOVIES | CHAT | BROADBAND | TRAVEL ASTROLOGY | NEWSLINKS | BOOK SHOP | MUSIC SHOP | GIFT SHOP | HOTEL BOOKINGS AIR/RAIL | WEDDING | ROMANCE | WEATHER | WOMEN | E-CARDS | EDUCATION HOMEPAGES | FREE MESSENGER | FREE EMAIL | CONTESTS | FEEDBACK